New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-23
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
THE NEWEST OPERETTA,


Mr. McCaulps latest novelty, Bellman" Ia . success
and In this highly signifcant respect differs from tho
novelties preceded II In this entorprising managers
late repertory That In success was testined unms
akaby by the audience at the first performance last
night and the far TO seek In the first
instance credit due to Won Suppe. the composer OF
the music This musician has done OF the ceverest
writing that vennese school Of Opereta composers
has show, but TO those who knew that ne mad cello
brated his professional semiesntenary about
six years ago It was fomethinE OF surprise
to find In the score Of "Beman" such Q treasury OF
bright melodies and firm and free hand in the ma
OF the Of musical construction as were
last night would be folly to that his
invention fertile the fruits OF IT as luscious In this
last work as In Fstinza" and the musical comedies
preceded that GROWING work Of the Venness school,
compared with the productions In this field OF the
young OF Germany and the successors OF oenbach
and Lecocq the score OF "Bellman" is mas
terly Won suppe never forgets that he
Is musician but he also bears In
mind that the aim OF operetta Is 70
anuse His music challenges smiles whom 1t ouoys up
the comedy touches tender chord when the story with
which 1t Is associated enters the region Of sentiment
and always the insnuang rhythm OF tho dance with the
inspriting pussons OF the march. That in Belman"
1t occasionally sounds perfunctory is not 70 be denied
but the od-tine fire and sk displayed when. as Ia
middle OF the second act he undertakes TO ould
ensemble This concerted piece (which, 10 the credit
Is certainly finest bit OF writing that operetta has
had TO show for several years.
In one respect only the expectations that
Won suppe's previous writings had raised not
fully realized The German operetta nbrettists
the habtabe globe In search OF picturesque
and the writers OF the book OF "Bem man hit
upon the Laplanders hitherto unused people.
Naturally introduction OF this racial element
In the story OF the play characteristic music was 10 he
pcctod. but Won suppe evidently could find no Lap
land coOrs his palette for IL would scarcely do 10
cept the song and dance OF B,Ipdn and Cotess Ud In
the act quaint and pretty they are, spec
mems OF National music
The story of g Benan is one OF those vague. In
volyed. III expoupdtd TO which the German OPP
his people have treated only stalking horse for the
music which Won Suppe has written and which Is inter-
preted with than ordinary excellence In the rep
resenatou for the skill OF his painters and stage
machniss and the fun OF his comedians, Messrs Hop
per, DeAngcis and Marlborough The greater part OF
but this is keeping with the presidents
OF years. and his actions most trress0ly
laugh provoking serves Its end This applies 10 his
absrly ludicrous entrance in the second act when he
appears hying through gale clnging TO the handle OF
umbrella we'll as TO the utterly irrelevant topical
song sariEng the Desarte system In the third duet
In the first act between De Angels and Maodonough
who represent two dromios hailny from Jewry.
capital hit last night
Tue stages pictures In the first and second acts OF
Bellman were sumptuous and artistic and storm
In tho second act Is almost terrifying In Its realism.
Marion Manola, Laura Joyce Bell, Josephine Knapp,
Hubert Wilke. De Wolf Hopper. J. Dc ANGELS, Harry
chiefly concerned In tho musical comedy and the OF
NIL la